Sprinkler



Aug. 7, 1951 L. AKER SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Filed Sept. 8, 1948 INVENTOR l fO/VARD A/(ER Aug. 7, 1951 L. AKER SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1948 IA/VENTOR {EON/1R0 AKER Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,563,300 SPRINKLER Leonard Akerfl alo Alto, Calif. v Application September 8, 1948, Serial No. 48,172 I 6 Claims. (01. 299-104) we The present invention relates to garden and usefulness and flexibility of operation, all at a more economical cost.

Certain sprinklers of somewhat analogous characteristics heretofore used have a number of sprinkler outlets screwed or otherwise attached to lengths of metal pipe." Such pipes are rigid -0 and cannot be bent around round, odd-shaped or undulating borders or flower beds, nor can they at the same time provide at any one pressure either a high or low spray.

It is therefore another object of the present 5.15

invention to provide a portable multiple sprinkler that is entirely flexible and capable of being bent around an shape of border or flower bed, while also being adjusted axially, at any pressure, to provide either a high or low spray, the 20 latter being preferred for flower beds.

Certain other sprinklers of the prior art are individual sprinkler units adapted to be interconnected by short garden hose sections, and so they are provided with the usual fittings for at- 525 'tachments at either end. The work and cost of preparing the individual "hose sections, in addition to the comparatively high cost of the sprinkler units themselves, usually limits the number of outlets to a very few.

Still another object of the present invention is therefore to provide a multiple sprinkler at low cost, requiring a minimum of efiort and skill for assembling, and having a large number of sprinkler outlet heads'foreffectively sprinkling a long strip of lawn, a flower-bed, or the like.

Another object"'of"the present invention is to enable the gardener using the device to'adjust the angle of the spray, as well as its direction,

while the sprinkler heads are in full operation withoutgetting' wetfin making the desired spray adjustments r Stilfanother object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler head that may be' easily adjusted to spray either a long, narrow-area, 015545 provide a simple and inexpensive sprinkler headpgg having its insertion edge fabricated substantially in the form of a hole punch, and'thus it may be used to punch or cut its own'holes in the hose comprising a part of the present invention." This featur'eg'however, is nerely'incidentalgfim and having, a .fiat te,ned. noazle.

2 i' as in most cases it may be desirable to use a separate hole cutter..-.As a, novelty thesaid hole cutter may also be used as an end-plug for the hose section, which can serve in the first instance as a hole cutter. y 1' Still anotherrobject of the present application .is to provide a portable sprinkling system with which a square, oblong, or even rhomboidshaped lawn maybe sprayed up to and along its edges, thereby leaving-no starved corners or wasteful overlapping circle areas.. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, and readily installed underground sprinkler system. Any plastic or rubber hose ortubing thatwill not deteriorate rapidly when placed in the ground rather than on top may be used, leaving only the small sprinkler heads exposed.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease or assembly and disassembly and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later appear and as are. inherently possessed by thedevise and invention described.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and while there is shown therein -a prefered embodiment and variations thereof; it is-tobe understood that the same is capable of modification and change and comprehends other details, constructions and uses without departing from the spirit or scope of the" appended claims. Referring now;- to:the drawings: Figure l is anaenlarged elevational view'lof a preferred form'of the sprinkler head which forms a part of the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along, th line IIII of Figure 1, showing the central outlet for the sprinkling liquid. 7

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device. of Figure 1, showing the restricted outlet infl'its upper end. Figure dis a transverse sectional view taken aolng the liheIV-IV of Figure 5, showing ;a sprinkler head inserted in a flexible tube: or

hose.

Figure 5 represents a; sinuously curved-section of the hose' into which are inserted two sprinkler heads. It will beobserved that each head has a sprayslot turned at different angles so as to' form either a flat or a wide spray.

Figure 6 is a-perspective view representinga modified fond-0f the device shown in Figure. 1

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic representation of a vertical section of a grass lawn or street parkway being sprayed by the device of Figure 9 when adjusted to a low spraying position. a

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic representation 01 a grass lawn being sprinil'd by't'he device or a T5 is inserted into the hose [8.

4 the effectiveness of the seal will be further improved by providing a more pronounced annular cusp or lip on the portion of the flute 2! which is immediately adjacent to the ridge formed by the juncture of the flute 2i with the tapered section 23.

The hollow, cylindrical portion 25 within the stem l8 terminates at slot 20 with an inwardly converging restriction 26 adapted to form a diffusing nozzle {6r the emeigmg liquid 'spray.

A sharp cutting edge I9 may, if desired, be formed at the termination of the tapered stem l8, so as to act as a hole cutter when the head It may be more convenient, however, to use a special hole cuttr', if desired may form part of the endplug 48 that is used to close the end of the hose Figure 9 when placed adjacent to its center,.

showing one sprinkler head of a number adliisted substantially vertically to as to spray a wide ar e;

- inferring ew again the sashes, le 3; iiifc1ii'siv,'rpifsentt6 emerged eeeie it prerehee renh er the bait er the present in- ,vention hereinafter referred to'is the sprinkler is, andj'i" tree '4 an; s reeiee'eht the comp ete, ssem le iihlt wherein one 'e'r more lilr eads i3 with a convenient Shah irhose t is rein the scanner assent"- aifeiirih 'ew ffir jiii'tf'dlirly so Figures 1. "i he a, theme sheen a sprinkler head 1:. 3th eh may be e: entitle ares-awe 'or plastic lii'ait'e'rial, and his}; he has set-nu 'sto'ck, dieeast, "or dtheiwise termed ee as to have a cap porti on lfl and a hollow shank or {stem {8. 'Ih"e s t portion n is hrereratly rehhe, but may be ;6 ,afrieizlag ciial, any other 'cross'"-'sectibilai shape ti'fat say he defies.

-A slot 211 is here "Shifiii diagonally across 'iil aieiheceg r the "eel: parties n to a precise"- aha "width, so as to produce a as; t e "speagiaeia may or the type tre- 3i 'eh ii rh siats a my arse be cut in the tap portions if! atah aegis "acute to the ioniig gihe fssfejs er the stem 1 n desired.

e honed, tibia-gated and recessed stem i8 heta '15 s formed with a compar tively wide 'ebneiive men close to the cap drhdh Pr. -A 6611a? 22 iif'eferably, though not necessarily, is interposdflfetwee'i'i the cap portion n and the 'e'hfieeve fiute 21 or the stem I8,

"*iri diie side of 'hose R, "the tapered section as "e'k'pand's 'tfie coacti'ng sides of the resilient hose l6 so that they again contract around the tide "it, 'tl'iereby effectively sealing the said 'hole jwhiie *st ill permittizig' the easy removal and adoj-"tlie "sprinkler head: i5. $86611 that the 'eflectivenssof 'the seal between It will be section l5.

In Figure 5 there is shown a sinuously curved section of hose I6 having two spaced apart ssriniiier heads is aha-1t asserted therein. It will be observed that the slot 20 in the sprinkler Head is aflfiisted, for the sake er illustration, to extend transversely across the longitudinal axis of the Hose 16, and thus is oriented so as to direct the liquid spray to either side -of the hose 16-; w ereas the sl'rit 20" in sprinkler head I! is illustrated "as being turned in the axial direcrash er I! so astb direct the spray axially thereer. In actual use, however, it is iarolmble that an heads have 'their slots '20 disposed at sine-flair angular positions, which obviously may be disposed at any angle trom trar'i'sverse to axial.

In Figure 6 there is "shown a modified 101m "of 'th' sprinkler head 2! in which the cap portion ll-shown 'in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, has been fla'ttenedto form a fan shaped nozzle hav ing a tapered stem 8| similar to stem lain Figares 1 to 4/, inclusive. Such a nozzle '21 may be 40 fia'shi'o'rr'ed from 'a section of cylindrical tubing, if

desired, instead of being fabricated from round stock.

'iin'l lg'ure 7 there is shown another modified term 'of sprinkler head 28 having the double slots '0 '32 and 13 disposed substantally at right angles "to each other; and in Figure *8 there is shown still another modified form o! the sprinkler head 29 having a round opening 84 in its head portion *and also having in the stem portion 36 thereof a threaded taper -31 adapted to be inser ted Within a hose l8 composed of relatively rigid non-resilient material such as .plastic.

ore-wee It will be understood that in operation the garden sprinkler combinationhereinbefore describedis particularly adapted to water flower beds, especially those beds having round or oddshaped contours'of the type illustrated 'in Figu' ure 9, wherein such a-ilower bed N, as viewed from 'dir'ectlyoverhead, is being watered by the device A shown in Figures 4 and 591 the draw- A s will also be observed in Figure 9, the 's pr'inkler heads l 5'in hose 1-8 are directedangu- Iarly'away "from the perpendicular plane, while at the same time the slots 20 in the sprinklerheads 15 are turned 'in the axial direction of the hose [6. This orientation of the-slots $0 directs a water "spray l'l underneath the foliage of the "0 plaiit's 12 on flower-bed 40 without wetting the howers themselves. At the closed end of the hose 'l6,"there is "shown an endeplug 43 of the type' 'rferred to earlier herein, but which is not part of the present invention. "Although the creased. In someiifst aiififiitwill be iund that sl lridivid-ual heads 45 preferably are disposed 4 an aligned relation along" the hose l5, they may be inserted therein to form several rows or-a staggered pattern, if desired. [,1 3

- Figure diagrammatically. illustrates how 1 the; edge of a lawn or street parkway adjabest shown in Figure 9, wherein the hose 16 may i be laid either in the trough 46 or straight along the edge of the lawn 44 or sidewalk 45. It has been demonstrated that lengths of the parkways up to and over fifty feet may effectively be watered by this device in one operation with the sprinkler heads [5 spaced at convenient intervals, such as two feet.

Another method of sprinkling a lawn, using the device of the present invention, is illustrated in Figure 11 wherein there is shown a diagrammatical representation of a lawn 50 upon which is stretched across its approximate middle the sprinkler combination A described herein. It should be observed that in this instance the slots 20 in the sprinkler heads l5 are turned transversely to the axis of the hose l6, so that the sprinkler heads l5 emit a wide spray 5i directedtcwards the outer edge of the lawn. The length of the hose section l6 may be the full length of the lawn, and as the particular sprinkler heads l5 which are positioned at each end of the hose l6 emit a flattened but wide spray, it will be understood that a rectangular area is readily wetted thereby in contrast to the circular areas covered by sprinklers of conventional design which frequently waste the water distributed in the circular areas extending beyond the borders of the rectangular lawn.

It should also be noted that the device A referred to herein may readily be partially submerged in a shallow trench 46, such as is illustrated in Figure 10, so as to form a spray distributing system which is substantially submerged underground. The hose l6 employed in such a system preferably is of a synthetic rubber or rubberlike resilient compound which does not deteriorate rapidly upon prolonged contact with soil in the presence of moisture. The hose l6 may be substantially covered with soil if des red, provided only that the head portions I! extend sufiiciently above the surface of the soil so that they can discharge and distribute the fluid spray as desired. In such instances the orientation of the head portions I! may be readily chan ed and adjusted by the operatonbut if the installation is to be of a permanent or semi permanent nature, the tubing or hose [6 preferably is retained within the shallow trench 46 by suitable retaining means such as stakes, looped lengths of wire having the free ends thereof driven into the ground, or by other similar clamping devices of conventional design.

Many other uses and combinations of adjustments are possible and are contemplated, but it sufiices to here illustrate the most common uses the device may be put to. While there has been shown and described herein certain specific forms of the instant invention, it will be understood that slight modifications and changes in the form or arrangement of parts hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the instant invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle adapted to be inserted through an opening in the wall of a flexible hose, compris- 6 inga tubular body having: a longitudinal-axis and a passage extending therethrough along said axis, said body having arlowertapered end'portion tapering toward :the lowe'r end' of the body adapted to project beyond the inner wall of such 'hose, an upper head portion having a transverse slotcommunicatingwith' said axial passage and an intermediate annular "recessed -portion adapted to seat and b'e rotatably retained in an opening formed inthe .wallofa flexible hose Without cement or vulcanization. g

a- 2; "A nozzle adaptedto' be inserted "through an opening in the wall of a flexible hose; comprising a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and a passage extending therethrough along said.

axis, said body having a lower tapered end portion tapering toward the lower end of the body and adapted to extend beyond the inner wall of.

such hose, an upper, enlarged head portion having a transverse groove communicating with said passage, and an intermediate, annular recessed portion adapted to seat and be rotatably retained in an opening in the wall of a flexible hose without cement or vulcanization.

3. A nozzle adapted to be inserted through an opening in the wall of a flexible hose, comprising a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and a passage extending therethrough along said axis, said body having a lower tapered end portion tapering toward the lower end of the body and adapted to project beyond the inner wall of such hose, an upper, enlarged head portion, and an intermediate, annular recessed portion adapted to seat for rotatable non-leak retention in an opening in the wall of a flexible hose, said head portion being slotted transversely to provide a slot intersecting said passage.

4. A hose structure of the character described, comprising a flexible hose and a plurality of readily insertable and removable sprinkler heads, each said sprinkler head being seated and rotatably retained in holes in spaced longitudinal relation in said hose and comprising a tubular body defining an axial passage and having an inner end extending beyond the inner wall of the hose and an outer end outside the hose, said body being tapered at its inner end for ease of insertion, having an enlarged head at its outer end and being formed with an annular recess intermediate said ends for seating in said hole.

5. A hose structure of the character described, comprising a flexible hose and a plurality of readily insertable and removable sprinkler heads, each said sprinkler head being seated in holes spaced longitudinally in said hose and comprising a tubular body defining an axial passage and having an inner end extending beyond the inner wall of the hose and an outer end extending beyond the outer end of the hose, said body being tapered at its inner end for ease of insertion,

having an enlarged head at its outer end and being formed with an annular recess intermediate said ends for seatingand rotatably retaining said heads in said hole, said head portion being slotted transversely to provide a slot intersecting said passage.

6. A hose structure of the character described, comprising a flexible hose and a plurality of readily insertable and removable sprinkler heads, each said sprinkler head being seated in holes spaced longitudinally along said hose and comprising a tubular body defining an axial passage and having an inner end within the hose and an outer end outside the hose, said body being tapered at its inner end for ease of insertion and immmncns crrnn The clawing menace: are of moord in the Ale '0'! this patent: 7

8 sum PATINTB-- Name Bohme Jim. 21, ms l-ma Dec. 23, 1924 snaw 6t ":11 uhem; 1m sweena'ud June 12, m4 Adam j Mar. 1-2, I! summm Mar. 23, m: G'ruett July 20,19 13 

